The Hostage (Presidential Agent 2)

"Would a reward for information, as substantial as necessary, and offered either publicly or privately, be of any use, do you think?"

"I don't think that will be necessary, sir."

"Please keep it in mind, Mr. Castillo, that if something…"

"I appreciate that, sir, and I will."

"Is there anything else you'd be willing to tell me?"

"I can't think of anything else, sir."

"Then perhaps we should go out to the plantation before our being missing really attracts attention."

"Sir, about the plantation," Castillo said. "I'd really like to get out of here first thing in the morning, and we have to think about getting Fernando back to San Antonio-"

"Fernando's not going back to San Antonio," Fernando interrupted. "Fernando's always wanted to go to Paris in the middle of the summer. Somebody once told Fernando you can't find a Frenchman in Paris in July. Just think, all that beauty and no Frenchmen."

Masterson chuckled. "You sound like my son, Mr. Lopez." He turned to Castillo. "I really wish you would spend the night at the plantation, if for no other reason than I think Betsy will be pleased to see that I share her confidence in you."

Jesus H. Christ!

"I can only hope, sir, that her, and your, confidence in me is justified."

Which almost certainly won't be. [TWO] Pope Air Force Base, North Carolina 0715 26 July 2005 "Pope approach control, Lear Five-Zero-Seven-Five," Colonel Jake Torine called into his throat mike.

"Lear Five-Zero-Seven-Five, Pope."

"Pope, Seven-Five. Do you have us on radar?"

"Affirmative, Seven-Five."

"Estimate Pope in seven minutes. Approach and landing clearance, please."

"Lear Five-Zero-Seven-Five, be advised Pope is closed to civilian traffic."

Colonel Torine turned to Major C. G. Castillo, who was in the left seat.

"What now, O Captain, my captain?" he asked.

"I thought we'd be cleared," Castillo said.

"Always check," Torine said. "Write that down, Charley."

"You guys aren't very good at things like this, are you?" Fernando Lopez, who was kneeling between the seats, asked innocently, earning him the finger from Major Castillo.

Colonel Torine switched to TRANSMIT.

"Pope, Seven-Five has been cleared to land at Pope. Verify by contacting Lieutenant General McNab at Special Operations Command."

"Seven-Five, we have no record of clearance-"

"And while you're doing that, give us approach and landing clearance, please. This is Colonel Jacob Torine, USAF. Acknowledge." It proved impossible for the airfield officer of the day, Major Peter Dennis, USAF, to immediately find anyone at the Air Force base who could confirm or deny that Lear Five-Zero-Seven-Five had permission to land. Neither could he immediately establish contact with General McNab.

With great reluctance, but seeing no other alternative, Major Dennis telephoned Major General Oscar J. Winters, USAF, Pope's commanding general, at his quarters, where the general was having his breakfast, and explained what had happened.

Major General Winters was fully aware that paragraph one of the mission statement of Pope Air Force Base stated in effect that Pope was there to provide support to Fort Bragg and the major Army units stationed thereon. Furthermore, he knew that Lieutenant General Bruce J. McNab, U.S. Army, was wearing the hats of both the commanding general, XVIII Airborne Corps, and the commanding general, U.S. Army Special Operations Command, and thus also had command control of the 82nd Airborne Division (which was under XVIII Airborne Corps) and the U.S. Army Special Warfare School (which was under the Special Operations Command).

He was also aware of General "Scotty" McNab's well-earned reputation for unorthodoxy, and of his legendary temper. And there was, General Winters knew, an Air Force officer, a colonel, named Jacob Torine. Why Torine would be flying a civilian Bombardier/Learjet 45XR Winters had no idea, except that Torine had spent much of his career as an Air Commando, and Air Commandos were about as well known for unorthodoxy as were members of the Army's Special Forces.